Golf ball

ABSTRACT

A golf ball (10) including circuitry including a communications aerial (40) for communication with external components of the ball game apparatus, an internal holder member (20) in the form of a ring with components of the circuitry being located within the ring and at least one coil element (30) located externally of the ring.

The present invention relates to a ball for a game and in particular to a coded ball for use in a game, such as a golf game as disclosed in WO 2013/156778.

The ball disclosed in the above patent application is indicated somewhat schematically. Aspects of the present invention seek to provide a coded ball, the appearance and behaviour of which resembles a conventional ball as closely as possible. Further aspects of the present invention seek to provide a ball with an aerial which communicates with other components of the ball game apparatus in an efficient and reliable manner. Other aspects of the present invention seek to provide a charging coil within the ball which can be used to charge a battery within the ball in an efficient and reliable manner. In addition, aspects of the present invention seek to provide a ball, the components within which are securely located in position and capable of withstanding hard impacts and possible mistreatment during use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ball for use in a ball game apparatus comprising circuitry including a communications aerial for communication with external components of the ball game apparatus, the ball comprising an internal holder member in the form of a ring with components of the circuitry being located within the ring and with at least one coil element located externally of the ring.

The coil element may be the communications aerial itself, which is wound at least partially around the ring.

Alternatively the coil element may be a charging coil for charging a battery included within the circuitry.

The ball may also contain one or more sensor elements included in or coupled with the circuitry.

The ball may also include one or more counterweights for enabling the ball to be evenly balanced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a golf facility, including a ball for use in a ball game apparatus including: circuitry including a communications aerial for communication with external components of the ball game apparatus, an internal holder member in the form of a ring with components of the circuitry being located within the ring and at least one coil element located externally of the ring.

The ball may incorporate a memory for storing data, the data being erasable if the ball is removed from the facility.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now he described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a ball in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ball of FIG. 1 as seen in a direction at right-angles to the view of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and rear perspective views respectively of a holder member which, in use, is located substantially at the centre of the ball of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side views of the holder member of FIGS. 3 and 4 seen at right-angles to each other; and

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the holder member.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a housing in the form of a coded golf ball 10 for use in a golf ball game apparatus. The ball is moulded in two interfitting parts 12, 14 which define a central cavity 16 between them. Located within the cavity is a generally circular cylindrical holder 20 for various components within the ball 10. The holder is of vacuum-formed plastic material and surrounds a rechargeable battery 22 for operating the circuitry within the ball. The battery is a nickel-metal-hydride battery. The housing has a diameter of 42.8 mm, corresponding to that of a conventional golf ball and has a dimpled exterior. The circuitry is mounted on a pcb 24.

The battery 22 is charged by an induction technique from the exterior of the ball, and a charging coil 30 is wound around the holder 20. A Bluetooth (Registered Trade Mark) or other aerial 40 is also wound around the holder 20 and facilitates communication between the circuitry within the ball and other components of the ball game apparatus in which the ball is being used.

The holder 20 is mounted substantially at the centre of the golf ball. The ball also contains one or more sensors of the types disclosed in WO 2013/156778. A counterweight 44 is provided so that the ball is evenly balanced and rolls like a conventional golf ball. The ball also has a magnetically-operated switch 46 for switching its circuitry on and off.

The circuitry includes a memory device which stores a code identifying the respective ball. Further memory space temporarily stores data related to a history of the strokes or other actions to which the ball has been subjected, at least since the last time such data was downloaded to a central database held in an external device of the ball game apparatus. This data relating to the latest movements of the ball includes data about its respective speed and direction during such movements.

Other data concerning the ball, such as the identity of the particular player to whom the ball has been allocated, is stored in the external database.

Some or all of the memory may be configured to have its data erased, for example if an attempt is made to remove the ball from the vicinity of the ball game apparatus in an unauthorised manner.

Between games played with the ball, the ball is placed at a charging location in a battery-charging rack which is capable of charging the battery 22 at low or high rates. The circuitry within the ball includes means for detecting the charge state of its battery and for causing the rack to charge the battery at a high or low rate as appropriate.

Part of the memory space in the database stores a count of the number of full charging cycles to which the battery of each ball has been subjected. When a threshold is reached, the battery is determined to have reached the end of its useful life. To avoid premature rejection of batteries, a charging procedure is not counted if the charge of the battery is already above a predetermined threshold when it is placed on the rack.

An advantage of the above-described arrangement is that, by being securely attached to the holder 20, components of the ball are protected from damage by the impacts to which a golf ball is subjected in use. By placing the coil 30 around the holder 20, an external inductive field can couple efficiently therewith in all relative orientations of the ball, that is the other components without the ball do not mask such coupling. Similar remarks apply to external communications with the aerial 40, ie it is omni-directional.

The circular shape of the holder 20 and the configuration of the counterweight 44 and the other components ensure that the ball is evenly balanced.

Various modifications can be made to the above described ball.

For example, additional data relating to the ball, such as the identity of a player to whom the ball has been allocated, may be stored in the ball itself instead of, or in additional to, in the central database of the apparatus.

The holder 20 may be of a generally square or other desired shape. More than one counterweight 44 may be provided. One or more counterweights may be located separate from the holder 20 rather than being integrated therewith.

The magnetic switch 46 may be omitted. In this case the circuits may be switched on and off by an alternative method. This may be done by detecting when the ball is placed in a charging and/or activating device, e.g. by a voltage increase being detected via charging coil 30.

Features of the ball may be combined with or modified by any of the features disclosed in WO 2013/156778 and/or in co-pending patent application number GB 1512037.1 entitled Ball Game Apparatus, the contents of all of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

1. A ball for use in a ball game apparatus including: circuitry including a communications aerial for communication with external components of the ball game apparatus, an internal holder member in the form of a ring with components of the circuitry being located within the ring and at least one coil element located externally of the ring.
 2. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the coil element is the communications aerial itself, the coil element being wound at least partially around the ring.
 3. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the coil element is a charging coil for charging a battery included within the circuitry.
 4. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the holder member is of a generally circular shape.
 5. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the ball includes one or more sensor elements included in or coupled with the circuitry.
 6. The ball according to claim 1, further comprising one or more counterweights.
 7. The ball according to claim 1, further comprising a magnetically-operated switch for switching the circuitry on and off.
 8. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a memory for storing a code identifying the respective ball.
 9. The ball according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a memory for storing data related to actions to which the ball has been subjected.
 10. The ball according to claim 9, wherein the memory is configured to have its data erased if an attempt is made to remove the ball from the vicinity of the ball game apparatus.
 11. A method of operating a golf facility, including a ball for use in a ball game apparatus including: circuitry including a communications aerial for communication with external components of the ball game apparatus, an internal holder member in the form of a ring with components of the circuitry being located within the ring and at least one coil element located externally of the ring.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the ball includes a memory for storing data related to actions to which the ball has been subjected.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data are erased if an attempt is made to remove the ball from the vicinity of the ball game apparatus. 